India’s 5-3 win against Pakistan in the Men’s Hockey World Cup held in 2026 has captured attention for another reason as well.
As Indian hockey players breached the traditional handshake custom to use high-fives to greet each other before the match began, both sides shook hands and exchanged friendly gestures after the match.
Fans Praise Indian Hockey Team
This act has thrown the fans into a debate. They wonder that if Indian hockey players are greeting their friendly rivals, why the Indian cricketing fraternity continues to follow a no-handshaking practice!
There is no specific rule regarding interaction between Indian players and their counterparts representing Pakistan. The sporting federations have their own ways of dealing with the issue.
Hockey India had made its stand clear in 2025 as it allowed its players to shake hands with the players from Pakistan citing principles of sportsmanship as well as the Olympic Charter.
Thus because of the stand taken by the association, Indian hockey teams could follow the long standing practices of handshake in international events.
As has been the case of previous hockey matches where Indian and Pakistan players exchanged good wishes the latest hockey encounter saw friendliness in backdrop of hostilities between the teams.
Why Did Cricket Adopt The ‘No-Handshake’ Approach?
After the Pahalgam terror attack and the implementation of Operation Sindoor, the cricket controversy escalated during the Asia Cup in 2025.
During the Indo-Pak match in Asia Cup 2025, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav stated that the Indian players decided against the handshaking tradition, which was agreed upon with the BCCI and the Indian government.
This decision led to a heated debate during the rest of the tournament and different agencies from Pakistan showed their discontent with this decision.
Why Has The Debate Returned?
The contrasting scenes from hockey and cricket have led fans to question whether India should have a consistent approach across sports.
However, the two situations are governed by different sporting bodies and policies. Hockey India’s approach has emphasised sporting traditions and international principles, while Indian cricket’s recent stance has been closely connected to the political and security situation between the two countries.
The hockey handshake should therefore not necessarily be interpreted as a political statement.
The Bigger Picture
The rivalry between India and Pakistan presents a special instance of competition in which sport inherits the burden of greater political tensions.
The 2026 Hockey World Cup gave the example of how the conflict between adversaries does not prevent them from having a emotional moment after the match.
As for cricket, the issue of ‘no-handshake’ continues to be relevant after what happened in 2025.
At the end, there is no common understanding of handshake in Indian sports. The difference is based on federations, circumstances, or decisions regarding different sports.